April 2020 – Yarns from the Lake

Dryer Balls

I have been making dryer balls, which are an environmentally friendly alternative to dryer sheets. Dryer balls reduce static and absorb moisture resulting in less total drying time, without any harmful chemicals. I have seen dryer balls in plastic and wool. The plastic version has little spikes, resembling a covid-19 virus. Usually people use threeContinue reading “Dryer Balls”

Quarantine 1950s Style

My mother-in-law spent over a year in a sanatorium for Tuberculosis after my husband was born in the 1950s. It seems timely to share an essay he wrote about this experience. Wayne’s Essay about his Mother’s TB Experience On my birthday in late March, as the Coronavirus pandemic was being declared, I thought about theContinue reading “Quarantine 1950s Style”

Loom Knitting

While having more time at home I learned about loom knitting, which is a different way to knit using a row or circle of pegs, and with a hook and your fingers rather than needles. I had seen knitting looms before but never used one myself. My niece had given me a set in variousContinue reading “Loom Knitting”

Sewing Face Masks

I sewed two face masks using bandanas for the fabric and two different patterns I found on the internet. I used to do a lot of sewing, including making many of my clothes, but in recent years I have only used my sewing machine for mending. Fabric stores used to have large selections of beautifulContinue reading “Sewing Face Masks”